Tuesday, September 11, 2007

9/11 - Just the Opposite?

Got a late call yesterday, from Scott Jones. He has a boat, but had some trailer problems. Has a buddy, Bob coming into town. Wanted to take him fishing. But figured out that a charter would be probably work better.

I told him about how good we did on some nice Redbass yesterday, so he signed on for a trip.

BUT since the tide seemed to be an endless incoming in the river yesterday morning. I opted for a 10am departure, instead of a early departure as I usually do in the summer months.

(yes, it's still summer here) So at about 9am Scott met me at the boat ramp. I said, "You sure are early", as was I. But that was okay, we sat in the boat and bullshitted for a while, and found out via a phone call that Bob was running way behind schedule. So Scott and I took off and went fishing while Bob would call us when he got to the ramp, so we could pick him up.

Scott and I ran to a area I've fished since the first days I've lived in J-ville Florida, when I was straight out of the Air Force. And now that, I don't just stand on the dock and fish, have found it to be a great Trout and Flounder spot. I worked it with minimal success yesterday....but that was okay we did great on the Redfish afterwards. So with high hopes I ran Scott there so as to try our luck.

PAY DIRT...right off the "git-go". Five Specks within minutes of anchoring up, up to 5 pounds!

Between the Mangrove Snapper bites it was all about getting the bait past the hungry bait snatchers, and if ya did, Float down and big fat Trout hooked up. Then Bob called and said he was at the boat ramp. So I pulled anchor and we ran all the way back to get him, then back to the same spot again. Tide had changed that quick. So now I had to reposition.

INSTANT SPECKS. Bob and Scott were hooked up. A few shorts, but instead of all big fatties now they were schoolies, but alot of keepers. So It didn't matter. Within minutes it was 5 more good Specks in the box. And then they sort of just shut down.

Time to go bottom fishing for some of those Big Reds!

So we packed up and ran east. But today the wind was strong, about 15 knots from the South East. And that made it a tad more difficult to get on my Redfish hole. But I tried anyhow.

Big cut pieces of Mullet out on two rods with circle hooks. We were on the mark and ready.

And we sat waiting on a bite, and waiting and waiting. The wind was now gusting like crazy and the sky darkened to the west with a dark loop of clouds to the east too. I swear there was Gust of wind that had to push 25 knots at least as the dark skies approached. Still no Redfish bites.

Just hooked one MONSTER Stone Crab........Which is a "Here's yer sign", that this spot has some serious under water ledges and caverns below. Because that's where St. Johns River Stone Crabs lurk. I liked seeing that crab, it confirmed my suspicions, and feel I get of the bottom as I reel in my heavy weights used to fish the this spot.

The winds and approaching weather had me saying....."lets go before something kicks our asses, that is brewing above us."

So we headed to the boat ramp to clean the Trout and Mangrove Snappers we caught earlier.

And just getting to the ramp in that wind was a chore. Man, can the Mayport Boat Ramp be the Mother of all creatures big and small. If you can dock there in a gale, along with that whipping current you can dock anywhere. Scot and Bob were a huge help, too.

We ended up missing, all but the big winds. No rain, and no lightning. Although we saw some far off.

The opposite was that yesterday we caught hardly any Trout, not from a lack of trying though. And did great on the Reds. While today we did great on the Trout with 2 limits kept for supper and no Reds.